This invention relates to a carton which is particularly but not only suitable for accommodating beverage containers such as cans and which incorporates a xe2x80x9cstrap-typexe2x80x9d carrying handle which is automatically set up into a position of use as the carton is being closed after having been loaded.
Beverage cartons which include carrying handles and indeed, strap type carrying handles are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,570 (Lazerand et al) discloses a packaging carton for beverage cans which has a strap type handle. The handle strap has a central user portion exposed to view in a handle access aperture in top wall of the carton, extends across the top wall and has opposite ends which terminate in respective ones of a pair of end closure flaps which are hinged to the top wall. The handle strap is reinforced by a separate strip of reinforcing material, for example, a fibrous tape.
WO 97/07031 (Riverwood International Corporation) discloses a packaging carton for beverage cans having a handle strap secured at each end thereof to an outer face of an end closure panel of the carton between a pair of cuts which extend across the hinge between the top panel and the respective end closure panel. As the carton is lifted via the handle, the provision of a fold line extending between the pairs of cuts on the top panel allows the portions bounded by the cut lines to deflect inwardly.
The present invention has sought to overcome or at least mitigate the problems of the prior art.
One aspect of the invention provides a carton for beverage containers which carton includes a series of hinged panels forming a sleeve and end closure panels hinged to at least one associated hinged panel for closing, at least in part, the opposite ends of a sleeve, wherein the said carton includes handle means by which the carton can be carried, said handle means comprising a strap connected to opposed end closure panels having a user part which is in substantially co-planar relationship with said one hinged panel when in a stored condition, the strap being so connected at its opposite ends to said end closure panels as to provide a surplus of material to enable said user part to be brought into a position of use wherein ends of the strap remote from the user portion are attached to inwardly displaced parts of the end closure panels spaced from said one hinged panel and in that intermediate parts between the user portion and said ends which are unattached to said one hinged panel are free to provide said surplus of material.
An advantage of the first aspect of the invention is that the structural integrity of the outer panels of the carton for example the top and end closure panels is maintained whilst providing additional stability from the handle structure.
According to another optional feature of this aspect of the invention a portion of said inwardly displaced parts is positioned to be located between upper portions of adjacent articles at that end of the carton to provide a stabilizing spacer therebetween.
A second aspect of the invention provides a carton for beverage containers which carton includes a series of hinged panels forming a sleeve and end closure panels hinged to at least one associated hinged panel for closing, at least in part, the opposite ends of a sleeve, wherein the said carton includes handle means by which the carton can be carried, said handle means comprising a strap connected to opposed end closure panels having a user part which is in substantially co-planar relationship with said one hinged panel when in a stored condition, the strap being so connected at its opposite ends to said end closure panels as to provide a surplus of material wherein ends of the strap remote from the user portion are attached to inwardly displaced parts of the end closure panels and intermediate parts between the user portion and said ends which are unattached to said one hinged panel are free to provide said surplus of material to enable said user part to be brought into a position of use, said inwardly displaced parts each comprising a step, the tread and riser of the step being provided by an end closure panel
According to an optional feature of the second aspect of the invention, the step is positioned to be located between upper portions of adjacent articles at that end of the carton to provide a stabilizing spacer therebetween.
According to another optional feature of the second aspect of the invention, the ends of the strap may be attached to inwardly displaced parts of gusset and/or side panels.
Preferably, the tread may abut a side portion of the article and wherein the riser of said step may extend inwardly of and beyond the abutment point between the tread and article side portion thereby to retain the step in a set up condition.
According to an optional feature of the second aspect of the invention, the strap may abut a side portion of the article, the strap being so constructed and arranged to improve the stability of the handle means.
According to a further optional feature of the second aspect of the invention, the user part of the handle strap may be connected to a portion of a side wall of the carton.
According to a yet further optional feature of the second aspect of the invention, the user part may be formed from material which is integral with the side wall.
According to a still further optional feature of the second aspect of the invention, the step may be automatically put into its operative position when the gusset panel is folded into its end retaining position.
According to a yet further optional feature of the second aspect of the invention the step may include a fold line intermediate the fold lines by which it is hinged to the side panel and to the gusset panel, the step folding in a toggle action along the fold lines when the gusset panel is folded into its end retaining position.
A third aspect of the invention provides a carton for beverage containers which carton includes a series of hinged panels forming a sleeve and end closure panels hinged to at least one associated hinged panel for closing, at least in part, the opposite ends of a sleeve, wherein the said carton includes handle means by which the carton can be carried, said handle means comprising a strap connected to opposed end closure panels having a user part which is in substantially co-planar relationship with said one hinged panel when in a stored condition, the strap being so connected at its opposite ends to said end closure panels as to provide a surplus of material to enable said user part to be brought into a position of use.
According to an optional feature of the third aspect of the invention, the ends of the strap remote from the user portion may be attached to inwardly displaced parts of the end closure panels and intermediate parts between the user portion and the ends which are unattached to said one hinged panel and free to provide said surplus of material. Preferably, the inwardly displaced parts may each comprise a step, the tread of which is provided by an end closure panel and the riser of which is provided by the one hinged panel and wherein the step is positioned to be located between upper portions of adjacent articles at that end of the carton to provide a stabilizing spacer therebetween.
According to an optional feature of the third aspect of the invention, the user portion of the handle strap may be connected to a portion of a top wall of the carton. Preferably, the central user portion may be formed from material which is integral with said top wall.
More preferably, the stabilizing step may be automatically put into its operative position when the end closure panel retention means is folded into its end retaining position.
According to another optional feature of the third aspect of the invention, the stabilizing step may include a fold line intermediate the fold lines by which it is hinged to the top panel and to the end closure panel, the stabilizing flap folding in a toggle action along the fold lines when the end closure panel is folded into its end retaining position.
A fourth aspect of the invention provides a blank for forming a carton, which blank comprises a series of hinged panels for forming a sleeve and end closure panels hinged to at least one associated hinged panel, wherein the blank includes handle means comprising a strap connected to opposed end closure panels having a user part which is in substantially co-planar relationship with one of the hinged panels, the strap being connected at its opposite ends to the end closure panels wherein ends of the strap remote from the user portion are attached to inwardly displaceable parts of the end closure panels spaced from the one hinged panel and in that intermediate parts between the user portion and the ends which are unattached to the one hinged panel are free to provide the surplus of material when the carton is in use.
A fifth aspect of the invention provides a blank for forming a carton, which blank comprises a series of hinged panels for forming a sleeve and end closure panels hinged to at least one associated hinged panel, wherein the blank includes handle means comprising a strap connected to opposed end closure panels having a user part which is in substantially co-planar relationship with the one hinged panel, the strap being so connected at its opposite ends to the end closure panels as to provide a surplus of material wherein ends of the strap remote from the user portion are attached to inwardly displaceable parts of the end closure panels and intermediate parts between the user portion and the ends which are unattached to the one hinged panel are free to provide the surplus of material to enable the user part to be brought into a position of use, the inwardly displaced parts each comprising a step, the tread and riser of the step being provided by an end closure panel.
A sixth aspect of the invention provides a carton for beverage containers which carton includes a series of hinged panels forming a sleeve and end closure panels hinged to at least one associated hinged panel for closing, at least in part, the opposite ends of a sleeve, wherein the said carton includes a handle structure by which the carton can be carried, said handle structure comprising a strap having between its opposite end a user part which is in substantially co-planar relationship with the one hinged panel when in a stored condition, the strap being so connected at its opposite ends to the end closure panels as to provide a surplus of material to enable the user part to be brought into a position of use.
A seventh aspect of the invention provides a carton blank for forming a carton referred to in the preceding paragraph.
According to one optional feature of either aspect of the invention, the ends of the strap are attached to inwardly displaced parts of the end closure panels, and intermediate parts between the user portion and said ends are unattached to the one hinged panel and free to provide the surplus of material.
According to another optional feature of either aspect of the invention, the inwardly displaced parts each comprise a step, the tread of which is formed from the respective end closure panel and the riser of which is formed from the one hinged panel, wherein the step is positioned to be located between the upper portions of the adjacent articles at the respective end of the carton to provide a stabilizing spacer therebetween.
According to a further optional feature of the invention, the user part of the strap is secured to a portion of the one hinged panel.
According to another optional feature of either aspect of the invention, the user part of the strap is formed in part from the material which is integral with the one hinged panel wall.
According to yet further optional feature of either aspect of the invention, the stabilizing spacer automatically is put into its operative position when the respective end closure panel is folded into its end retaining position.
According to another optional feature of either aspect of the invention, the stabilizing spacer includes a medial fold line between the end fold lines by which the spacer is hinged to the one hinged panel and to the respective end closure panel, the stabilizing spacer folding in a toggle action along the end and medial fold lines when the respective end closure panel is folded into its end retaining position.
According to a further optional feature of either aspect of the invention, at least one of the end closure panels may be connected to another hinged panel adjacent to the one hinged panel so that a corner arrangement of the carton is defined, and the strap is so connected to the end closure panels to cause the corner arrangement to engage and retain an outermost article.
An eighth aspect of the invention provides a carton for holding a plurality of articles in a group, which carton comprising top, opposed side walls and a base, hingedly interconnected to form a tubular structure, wherein at least one side wall comprises a displaceable zone arranged to protrude out of the plane of the one side wall to accommodate a portion of an adjacent article, wherein the displaceable zone comprises a multiplicity of connected sections each occupying a different plane to a next adjacent section.
According to an optional feature of the third aspect of the invention, the connected sections are defined by a series of pairs of arcuate cut lines.
According to another optional feature of the third aspect of the invention, the one side wall further comprises an article support panel struck from a portion of the one side wall in which the plurality of arcuate cut lines are formed to define the connected sections wherein the cut lines are arranged in a substantially vertical plane.
According to a further optional feature of the third aspect of the invention, the carton further comprises at least one article engaging reinforcing flap to be folded inwardly of one of the side panels to retain a lower portion of an article.
According to a ninth aspect of the invention, a carton blank for forming a carton comprising a plurality of articles including a shaped body portion, for example a pear shaped bottle, which carton blank comprises a top, opposed side walls and a base hingedly interconnected wherein at least one of the side walls comprises a plurality of arcuate cut lines arranged in a spaced relationship to form a displaceable zone adapted to receive the shaped body portion of an article when the carton is in a set up condition.